Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable Don McMorris, Saskatchewan's Minister of Government Relations, announced more than $19.7 million in joint funding for 25 infrastructure projects across the province.
The construction of new facilities at the First Nations University of Canada's Land-based Learning Centre in Regina is included in this funding. The centre will serve as a place for Indigenous teaching and learning on the land. It will include overnight facilities such as cabins, shower and washroom facilities, a mess hall with a kitchen, water and wastewater infrastructure, along with a permanent sweat lodge structure and an outdoor learning centre.
Funding will also provide improvements to Estevan's Leisure Centre to enhance the quality of facilities for residents. This project will include the rehabilitation of its rooftop for increased sustainability and the replacement of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems to reduce the building's carbon footprint.
In the Town of Kindersley, the West Central Event Centre will benefit from a complete lifecycle upgrade of its refrigeration plant. The upgrade will increase energy efficiency and create a greener and self-sustaining facility. Other measures to reduce energy consumption include replacing leaky exterior doors and converting to LED lighting throughout the facility.
Several rural areas will also see infrastructure improvements including bridge replacements in the rural municipalities of Big Stick No. 141, Biggar No.347, and Laurier No. 38, which will improve the transportation system. In addition, funding will support the decommissioning of five landfills for the villages of Climax, Ceylon, Harris and the towns of Lumsden and Milestone to help protect the environment.
By investing in infrastructure, the Government of Canada is growing our country's economy, increasing the resiliency of our communities, and improving the lives of Canadians